California Wine Fair 2011
byThe Arts Club Theatre Company is hosting their annual California Wine Fair at Canada Place on March 11, 2011 at 7:00pm.
Those in attendance will have the opportunity to sample fine wines from over 100 top producers including new vintage and varietals not currently available in Canada. A full list of participating wineries is available online.
When I attended a few years ago there was an abundance of quality silent auction items and this year is no exception. Bid on wine experiences, travel, and entertainment packages with proceeds benefitting the Arts Club. Tickets to the event are $65 or $55 if you book with a group of six people or more.
The California Wine Fair is part of a series of fundraising events presented by the Arts Club Theatre Company that includes the California Winery Dinner at Seasons in the Park (Queen Elizabeth Park) on Wednesday March 9th at 6:00 pm and Wine 101 on Wednesday March 16th at 7:00 pm at the Petley Jones Gallery (1554 West 6th Avenue).
Here’s how you can enter to win a pair of tickets to this event:
I will draw one winner next week at 12:00pm on March 9th, 2011. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe trip home.
Update The winner is Danielle Scott – have a great time!
93 Comments — Comments Are Closed
I’m more into drinking than tasting, but I believe that swirling the wine around in your mouth is the way to go!
Aerate the wine well and smell it before tasting.
Don’t try and taste too many wines.
Examine with your sight and smell before you go for the taste.
Remember: it’s OK to spit out the wine at a tasting event. It could be a lot to drink if you were to try every kind of wine.
Try different price points of the same wine (eg. a cheap merlot, a mid-range merlot and an expensive merlot) to distinguish differences in quality!
Looooooove wine. 🙂
I always prefer to open my wine 1/2 hour before consuming it so that it’s properly oxidized 🙂
Don’t have gum in your mouth 🙂
Pace yourself.
Love it, and I will love to win 2 tix. Thanks!
Cheers!
Susan
I’ve just been introduced to the joys of wine and would love to win these tickets to expand my knowledge in this area.
i like to whirl and whiff – aerate the wine in the glass and take a whiff of it before consuming
That would be deliciously fun
The best tip I like to drink by: Don’t be intimidated, there’s no right and wrong when it comes to wine tasting!
Never been to one – would love to go and get some tips.
mmmm i love wine!!
it’s important to start with the driest wine and progress to thi sweetest. If you start with sweet the dry wines taste awful!
Swirl the wine in your glass, inhale the aroma then take a sip and enjoy!
When you’re tasting wines, the rim of your glass should bend inwards to help funnel aromas to the nose, and allow you to swirl without spilling.
After taking a sip, keep it in your mouth and sniff!
Tasting wine directly from the bottle does not allow for all of one’s senses to be fully engaged. Use a glass…preferably a wine glass.
Gargle the wine in your mouth to taste all the flavours
swirl the wine around in your glass before taking a sip… then swirl it around your mouth!
don’t be a wine snob!
Hold the wine glass up to the light and check for specks
Sometimes it’s better to make use of the spit bucket.
after swirling the wine around – tilt the glass sideways and smell from the top of the glass – this allows you to sniff in more of the flavouring and less of the alcohol! (if you just want the alcohol scent – smell from the lower portion of the glass)
Swirl the wine, take a sip. Speak like Mr & Mrs Howell and say with authority “this wine has a good leg of viscosity”
Swirling the wine around in your glass and holding it up to the light to view the legs (streaks that run down the glass) of the wine. The more pronounced the legs of the wine are, the more full bodied the wine is thought to be 🙂
When you sip then wine suck it in like a reverse whistle (lasy at a winery told me this-difficult to master! )
Wow phone typos:
When you sip the wine suck it in like a reverse whistle (lady at a winery told me this-difficult to master!)
Wines are a living object. Allow it to breathe, this will provide a richer flavour. Don’t forget to plan for a way home, besides driving. Especially if you don’t spit out the wine.
open the bottle…
Close your eyes while you are wine tasting, this can help you block out distractions and concentrate on your wine’s taste, helping to pick up any of the more elusive flavors.
Ask the wine maker questions, whether you are at a winery or a wine fair! They can tell you lots about what you are tasting 🙂
Nothing better than sampling the finest wine!! Not so much bidding for me though! hahahah
FREE wine is always good wine! Thats my philosophy hahaha
As my Italian uncle says, swirl your glass to make sure it’s got good legs. Like women, wine should have just as great legs 🙂
Mmmmm…wine sounds great!! Thank you!
Pace yourself. Ha.
Wear lots of perfume.
Sip & enjoy!
Just came back from South Africa where I had the good fortune to participate in a wine tasting. We learned about swirling and make sure you don’t swallow the wine right away.
Taste in moderation, and keep the sweet wines to the end.
only sip… and clean out the glass each time
Buy a decanter that allows your wine to aerate. Chill your white wines. Always swirl wine in your glass to aerate. When at wine tastings, make sure you use water to get rid of any remains of the last wine.
I’ve drank a few wines as soon the bottle’s open. I’ve also had wine that when you allow it to breathe it tastes a bazillion times better!
Sounds like a great experience to add more wine knowledge.
Have some fresh coffee beans nearby. Smell the coffee beans before smelling the different wine. (same as testing perfumes).
Good one
Pair wines with food.
Aerate your wine by swirling your glass several times and sniffing the wine between swirls. Once the wine is in your mouth, close your eyes and truly taste it before swallowing or spitting. Concentrate on the after taste. Assess.
Envision yourself as Paul Giamatti’s character in the movie Sideways.
If you have a negative opinion of a wine, be discreet and diplomatic about it – don’t interfere with someone else’s tasting experience.
The expensive wines aren’t always the one your palate will like best. Yum, wine.
Don’t worry so much about what you’re ‘supposed’ to like, just go with what pleases your palate.
Don’t taste too many wines.
Use all your senses: sight, smell, taste
While we may have natural favourites, wine tasting is a great chance to strike out and try new things – enjoy the adventure!
I need to learn about wines, so that’s why I need to go!
Taste it with and without food so you can explore more complex flavours
I love red! Shiraz is my favourite.
Sounds great, would love to attend!
Spit it out
Wine tip….
when your glass is empty fill it up….
After a chilly day in the garden I’m ready to pretend that I’m in California!
not so much a drinking ‘tip’… but did you know that if you spill red wine on yourself, splash on a little white wine, and it will come out more easily in the wash! 🙂
Observe the wine, smell the wine, and taste the wine!
Wine tasting tip #1: Drink with friends.
Bonus tip: The primary axiom that I learnt from studying Wine Science is that it is not the cost or “fineness” of a wine that matters – bottom line is, all else aside, its’ quaffability, and whether you love it.
WIne with good company go hand in hand!!!
Pace yourself, unless you intend to get drunk
make use of the spit bucket if necessary…
let the wine breathe before drinking
Wine tasting tip: no chewing gum! (seriously!)
Keep an open mind – i.e. even if you don’t like reds, try them, maybe you just haven’t found the right one.
Let the wine breathe before sampling.
Be very open to trying different wines.
Swirl the wine in the glass beforehand and take some time to smell its different notes.
I like to put a skewer of frozen blueberries in my whites….might ruin it for true wineo’s but I love it…(and it looks pretty)
Never swallow!
Examine with your eyes, nose, and tastebuds!
Breathe, swirl, curl, sip..
Enjoy it…! And don’t be afriad not to spit!
I’ve always wanted to swirl, spit and schmooze — and all with diva-tude.
I think my friend and I would just love an outing like this!
Eat something before you swirl, sniff, swish & (sometimes) spit.
Enjoy with friends! Chat to the people around you and make wine tasting a memorable experience. Be enthused and the wine will just taste better. Also sip twice -once to cleanse your palette and the second time to savour the taste. And then smile and laugh with your FRIENDS. spread the joy!
Enjoy the bouquet.
Put your hand over the top of your wine glass and swish it around in the glass for instant aeration.
Cleanse your palate with a bit of bread or cracker between each wine!
Swirl the wine in the glass and take a nice whiff…enjoy!
Swirl the wine in the glass to aerate and sniff 🙂
Remember to swirl!